With the first half of the regular season winding down and the playoffs beckoning, the Plymouth South football team has its eyes on a second consecutive Atlantic Coast League championship.

The 4-1 Panthers, who were off last week, can clinch the ACL crown with a victory over 1-4 Falmouth this Friday.

“We had certain goals this year and our first was to make the playoffs,” Head Coach Scott Fry said. “The second was to win the league title. Coming off the ACL title last year we had a target on our back. This year has been a little more challenging, because we had so many returning starters and we were expected to do well.”

With star tailback Dylan Oxsen leading the offense, the Panthers have steamrolled past opponents. Oxsen has followed his sensational junior season, when he rushed for 2,100 yards and scored 40 touchdowns, by finding the end zone in just about every way imaginable, returning interceptions for TDs, throwing for a score and, of course, tallying them on the ground. Despite an ankle injury that hampered him throughout the Plymouth North game and sidelined him against Dennis-Yarmouth, Oxsen had rushed for more than 800 yards. Among his highlights: Five touchdowns in a season-opening 40-14 thrashing of Marshfield; an 88-yard pick six against Plymouth North; scoring jaunts of 74 and 68 yards against Sandwich.

Fry has been asked many times what makes the 5-9, 190-pound senior special. He says it’s a combination of factors.

“He has excellent balance, a low center of gravity, and he’s able to accelerate and change directions,” he says. “I think people under-estimate his power. He never gets taken down on first contact. He’s extremely strong. He’s not that fast in the 40, but I’ve never seen him get caught.”

The Panthers’ lone loss, a 31-12 defeat to D-Y, came when Oxsen was missing. Fry said the bye week has come at an ideal time, allowing his team to heal. He expects Oxsen to be at 100 percent against Falmouth.

“We played Plymouth North, D-Y and Nauset all in a row, three really physical teams,” he said. “We’re getting better and better every game, and when our full team is on the field we can compete with anybody.”

“Dylan has certainly become the player teams have to stop in order to beat us,” Fry said. “It speaks volumes about our offensive line that they’re still able to create holes. They worked extremely hard in the off-season and were really committed. They’re very physical and smart. Dylan would be the first to say he couldn’t do it without them.”

Page 2 of 2 - Sophomore Andrew Shortall replaced the injured Rick Barnhardt at quarterback in their last game and has given the Panthers a new dimension with his ability to throw the ball.

Despite the record, the Clippers have not yet been eliminated from the playoffs, so Fry isn’t taking them lightly.

“They’re fighting for a playoff spot and they’re at home. Any time you have to go over the bridge to play a team like that, I expect the game to be very competitive,” he said.